Educational Reform is the Basis of all Reform

Educational Reform is the Basis of all Reform
I have discussed in many of my previous lectures and articles that democratizing education is key to greater prosperity. In recent times, this has been fueled by the availability of digital technology which has invaded our lives, significantly changing the manner in which we live and transact with the environment around us.
I have highlighted the urgency for our traditional schooling system to be reformed in order to better cater for ‘digital natives’ i.e. the new-generation of students for whom technology is an existential part. They start using technology from the cradle with sophistication and finesse and by the time they are of school age, they have literally mastered its use! Therefore, traditional modes of education are no longer sufficient for such students who, quite literally, have access to more knowledge using online means than their teachers. The days of teaching with chalk and blackboard are well over.
The effect of technology on the way that education can be delivered is revolutionary, providing teachers of all grades with a new set of tools, to produce and deliver teaching content. Students can learn using a wide array of technology options and have a rich pool of online resources to supplement their learning. This is essential particularly in recent times where we all faced huge challenges in educating our children due to COVID lockdown.
In the past, teachers were the sole purveyors of knowledge. Their role was to teach the students through books, references and other means to convey knowledge to students. However, the advent of internet has changed all that, producing newer, more innovative technologies by the day. Using digital technology such as laptops, desktop computers, online forums and resources, students can become highly knowledgeable in a fraction of the time. Computers that used to take up rooms can now fit into the palm of your hand, with a staggering amount of knowledge available globally in every sphere and domain.
Unfortunately in the Arab world, we are well behind the curve. Resistance to change in adopting and recognizing online education is greatly stifling our progress. We are struggling to cope with this shift and as a result falling way behind. Many criticized me when I had warned that the information revolution will make students equal to their teachers in knowledge; maybe even superior. We are now witnessing this with our very eyes as the information revolution accelerates. Education in all its specializations is now available from the comfort of our homes. All it takes is a click to access that largest information repository that man has ever created. You can literally teach yourself without having the need to travel nor pay expensive tuition fees. Education is now available at every doorstep.
I need to clarify here that I do not mean that teachers, education, or universities, as prestigious educational institutions, will vanish. They will always remain as a foundation for scientific progress and technical development. What I mean is that the role of teachers, schools, and universities has to change to keep pace with technical development. The teachers’ role must change from knowledge purveyor to mentor, helping students to access and use online resources in a proper manner. Having such a massive amount of information available is overwhelming, which is where the skill of the teacher must come in i.e. to guide, direct and give students the benefit of their experience and wisdom.
Teachers must turn into navigators, guiding their students through this digital knowledge maze. This however, doesn’t exempt those professions that require dexterous skills to obtain these from professionals in traditional settings. Areas such as engineering, medicine and many vocational subjects require students to gain available skills in labs, hospitals and technical settings, where one on one tutoring and direct examination is essential. With such specializations, remote learning can only play a limited part.
I have repeatedly said that the technological revolution and the development of online services will limit the need for monolithic building to serve people. This goes for governments as well as educational establishments who can drastically downsize their physical presence and provide leaner, efficient services in a transparent and more affordable manner using online means. There is simply no need to have expensive buildings to operate out of, with technology eliminating the need for most of these.
I’d like to reiterate a point I brought up in the past which was that the education law in our country must be reformed to remove the need for Universities to have vast plots of land in order to obtain a license to operate. In this age it doesn’t make any sense and is something that must be reviewed and reconsidered.
Educational reform is a process that requires a constant review of legislations and curricula and its alignment with market needs, so that we graduate students that have real skills that are required in the workplace. Education must allow students to explore the wider horizons of knowledge and avoid indoctrinating them into a fixed mindset. Flexible guidance that encourages innovation and creativity must be emphasized and students should be given greater freedom to explore and learn. We must move away from education that restricts thought and cripples the mind at all costs.
The message of education is a great one. It is the foundation of civilization and the basis of progress of any society. Any reform of any kind must begin with educational reform. Education builds humans. It equips people with science, knowledge, wisdom, morals, integrity, and responsibility and allows them to take part in building a healthy, sound community. It is from such communities that competent administrations and wise citizens emerge.